Umino Iruka slowly let out a breath.
After steadying himself, he walked into the First-Year Class A classroom.
"Why did the teacher change?""Does Kitazawa-sensei only teach one class?""That's such a shame… I like Kitazawa-sensei's lessons more."
Iruka froze slightly.
He'd only taught one class, and he'd already won them over?
As expected of Kitazawa-senpai.
Suppressing the admiration in his heart, Iruka stepped onto the podium amid the students' disappointed gazes.
The lesson he was teaching was chakra extraction.
Chakra was the foundation of becoming a ninja—the balanced fusion of spiritual energy and physical energy.
Once class began, Iruka discovered that the students were far more attentive than he had expected, not nearly as mischievous as rumored.
What puzzled him most was their unusually friendly attitude toward Uzumaki Naruto.
Who had taught them to behave like this…?
Oh. Right.
Kitazawa.
"It seems I still have a lot to learn,"Iruka sighed inwardly.
An hour passed in the blink of an eye.
Kitazawa set aside the student files in his hands and headed upstairs.
He hadn't found any troublemakers matching Hinata's description among the first-year students.
Which meant there was only one conclusion.
They weren't first-years.
They were second-years.
"Kitazawa?"
A sudden voice called out.
Kitazawa turned and looked at the speaker.
About the same age as him, with neatly parted white hair.
"Mizuki,"Kitazawa greeted him with a smile."Just finished teaching?"
"Yeah,"Mizuki stepped closer."I heard you took over the first-year classes this year. How is it? Any geniuses?"
"Too early to tell,"Kitazawa shook his head."I've only taught half a day."
"But with your outstanding teaching ability,"Mizuki said with a sunny smile,"I'm sure you'll produce a genius like Neji."
What nonsense are you spouting?
If it were anyone else, they might've been fooled by Mizuki's façade.
But Kitazawa knew the truth.
In the original story, Mizuki was petty, jealous, and scheming—a classic backstabber.
He was friends with Iruka, yet secretly resented him for being more popular.
To complete his own mission, he had personally killed a wounded comrade.
When Naruto failed to graduate, Mizuki manipulated him into stealing the Scroll of Seals.
After being imprisoned, he defected to Orochimaru and used the power of the Curse Mark to stage a dramatic prison break, playing the role of a false savior.
Mentioning Hyuga Neji now was nothing more than showing off.
Neji, like Uchiha Itachi, had earned fame as a prodigy at a very young age.
And prodigies like that rarely appeared twice.
"Not bad,"Kitazawa nodded confidently."I believe my students have that kind of potential."
Mizuki froze.
Even his smile faltered.
Who gave you the nerve to say something like that?
In a world where talent and bloodlines mattered above all else, academy teachers could, at best, add polish to natural gems.
"I've got things to do. Let's talk another time,"Kitazawa said, pushing open the door to the second-year teachers' office.
The door closed.
"You think you're so great? So noble?"Mizuki muttered bitterly, his face twisting into a pained grimace."One day, I'll steal that 'Outstanding Teacher' title from you!"
Mizuki and Kitazawa had entered the Academy as instructors at the same time.
But five years later, their paths had diverged completely.
Kitazawa had earned promotions, raises, and three consecutive Outstanding Teacher awards.
Mizuki was still just… average.
His eyes burned.
A lemon tree bore lemons, and beneath it stood only him.
Kitazawa greeted the second-year teachers briefly, then focused on the student records.
As for Mizuki, he didn't care in the slightest.
I just got a system—do you think I'm going to swallow this kind of grievance?
Half an hour later, Kitazawa held three student files in his hands.
He studied the photos for several seconds before confirming they were the troublemakers Hinata had described.
After a moment's thought, a plan formed.
As a teacher, directly punishing them wouldn't be ideal.
And if he was going to discipline them, it had to be done in front of Hinata—to have the greatest impact.
In that case…
He'd handle it the elementary-school way.
Kitazawa put the files away and returned to his office.
The dismissal bell rang.
Morning classes were over, and lunchtime had begun.
Carrying three small notes he had written, Kitazawa went to Second-Year Class C, slipped the notes into the troublemakers' desks, and left without a trace.
"Kitazawa-sensei!"
Uzumaki Naruto came running, out of breath.
"I—I want to treat you to Ichiraku Ramen!"
"Kids don't treat adults to meals,"Kitazawa chuckled."I'll treat you."
"No, I will!"Naruto pulled out his frog wallet and said firmly,"I have money!"
That wasn't a lie.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, gave him money regularly.
"I want to thank you, Kitazawa-sensei,"Naruto added.
He might be a kid, but he wasn't stupid.
Kitazawa had helped him again and again—Naruto knew it.
"Alright,"Kitazawa said after a moment's thought."You treat me this time. I'll treat you next time."
The two headed out of the Academy together.
Ichiraku Ramen
"Uncle Teuchi!"
Naruto called out familiarly.
"Naruto, you—Kitazawa?"Teuchi lifted the curtain and stepped out, surprised."How did the two of you end up together?"
"Uncle Teuchi, you know Kitazawa-sensei?"Naruto asked in astonishment.
"How could I not?"Teuchi laughed."Kitazawa is my neighbor."
"What?!"Naruto's eyes widened.
"That grocery shop next door is mine,"Kitazawa pointed to the left."I usually open it at night, so you wouldn't know."
If you asked which place in Konoha was the safest, many Naruto fans would answer: Ichiraku Ramen.
After his parents died, Kitazawa bought a house nearby and renovated it into a small grocery shop.
Better safe than sorry.
Trying wouldn't kill him.
"Naruto, so you're Kitazawa's student now?"Teuchi said with a grin."Then you're lucky. He's been voted Outstanding Teacher for three years straight."
"Yeah!"Naruto nodded vigorously."Kitazawa-sensei is amazing!"
"What would you like to eat?"Teuchi asked.
"Chashu rib ramen!"Naruto answered immediately.
"Tonkotsu ramen,"Kitazawa said after glancing at the menu.
It didn't take long for the two bowls to arrive.
"Let's eat!"Naruto clapped his hands together excitedly and grabbed his chopsticks.
It was obvious he truly loved ramen.
After lunch, the two returned to the Academy.
"See you this afternoon, Kitazawa-sensei!"Naruto ran off toward the classroom.
Kitazawa headed back to the office.
"Kitazawa-senpai."
Umino Iruka knocked and entered.
"You're not taking a nap?"Kitazawa raised an eyebrow.
"There's something I want to discuss,"Iruka said directly."First-Year Class A needs to choose a class representative to help us—collecting homework and such."
[Current Mission: Become the class representative of First-Year Class A.][Mission Reward: Water Attribute.][Accept?]
Kitazawa twitched at the corner of his mouth.
I'm choking here, brother.
What kind of garbage mission is this?
You've really got it out for me, don't you?